Benefits of CFD Trading

No UK Stamp Duty

As CFDs are a derivative product, you don't actually own the underlying instrument that you are trading on. This means that you do not have to pay UK stamp duty, saving you the stamp duty charge associated with regular share dealing.

Ability to go long and short

With CFDs you can trade on falling markets by 'going short' (selling), just as easily as you can trade on rising markets by 'going long' (buying).

If you believe a company or market will increase in value you take a long position (buy). Your profits will rise in line with any increase in that price and your losses will increase with any fall in that price.

On the other hand, if you believe that a company or market will experience a loss of value you can use CFDs to go short (sell). Your profits will rise in line with any fall in price (and your losses will rise in line with any increase in that price).

Reduce your capital outlay using margin

CFDs are a leveraged product, which means you pay a small percentage of the total trade value to open your position, known as margin, rather than paying to cover the entire cost of your position.

For example, if a market has a margin requirement of 10% then you would need to have 10% of the full value of the trade in your account, as initial margin, to open the position.

Leverage is good news if the market moves in the direction that you expect, but it carries a high degree of risk if the market moves against you. In the same way that your profits are magnified, any losses will also be magnified and you could lose more than your initial investment.

Hedge your portfolio

If you believe your existing portfolio may lose some of its value, you can use CFDs to offset this loss by short selling.

Let's say you hold £5,000 worth of Vodafone shares in your portfolio. You can short sell the equivalent of £5,000 worth of Vodafone shares through a CFD trade.

In the same way that your profits are magnified, any losses will also be magnified and you could lose more than your initial investment.

Access global markets & 24 hours trading

CFD trading gives you access to a wide range of markets that would not otherwise be available to retail investors, all from one trading platform. You can speculate on the price movement of thousands of individual shares, indices, currencies, bonds and interest rates from across the globe.

We know it's important for you to be able to access your account and trade whenever you want, wherever you are, particularly when market prices are moving quickly. So, we give you unrestricted access to your account 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Summary of differences between CFD trading and share trading:

Feature

CFD trading

Shares dealing

Free from Stamp Duty*

Commission charged

Ability to go long – buy and take advantage of rising prices

Ability to go short – sell and take advantage of falling prices

Ability to hedge – go short and mitigate against potential losses in your shares portfolio

Leveraged trading – gain a large exposure for a fraction of the value

Immediate dealing – instant trading both in and out of a market

Access to other asset classes – such as indices, FX, etc

Access to global shares – trade over 5000 different markets from around the world

CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 72% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Spread Betting, CFD Trading and Forex Trading are leveraged products. and your capital is at risk. They may not be suitable for everyone. Please ensure you fully understand the risks involved by reading our full risk warning.

* Spread Betting and CFD Trading are exempt from UK stamp duty. Spread betting is also exempt from UK Capital Gains Tax. However, tax laws are subject to change and depend on individual circumstances. Please seek independent advice if necessary.

The information on this website is not targeted at the general public of any particular country. It is not intended for distribution to residents in any country where such distribution or use would contravene any local law or regulatory requirement.

CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 72% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.